The Gordon Murray T.50s Nikia Lauda makes its dynamic debut at the Goodwood Members Meet this weekend on April 13. Ahead of this auspicious occasion, Gordon Murray Automotive has revealed the commemorative names of all 25 chassis. The T.50s, in case you’ve forgotten, is a limited-run, track-only supercar based on the standard GMA T.50. Only 25 will be built, with each chassis bearing a name to commemorate Gordon Murray’s greatest racing victories in chronological order, starting with his very first victory in 1974 at Kyalami in South Africa – the country of Murray’s birth:
2023 Gordon Murray Automotive T.50 V12 Coupe RWD
- Model
-
T.50
- MSRP
-
$3,500,000
- Engine
-
4.0L V12 Gas
- Drivetrain
-
Rear-Wheel Drive
- Transmission
-
6-speed Manual
- Horsepower
-
656 hp
- Torque
-
344 lb-ft@9,000 rpm
- Curb Weight
-
2,174 lbs
|
Gordon Murray T.50s Niki Lauda Commemorative Car Themes |
||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
|
1) 1974 South Africa at Kyalami |
2) 1974 USA at Watkins Glen |
3) 1975 Brazil at Interlagos |
4) 1975 Germany at Nürburgring |
5) 1978 Sweden at Anderstorp |
|
6) 1980 Italy at Imola |
7) 1980 Netherlands at Zandvoort |
8) 1981 Argentina at Buenos Aires |
9) 1982 Monte Carlo at Monaco |
10) 1982 Canada at Montreal |
|
11) 1983 Brazil at Rio |
12) 1983 Italy at Monza |
13) 1983 UK at Brands Hatch |
14) 1984 USA at Detroit |
15) 1985 France at Paul Ricard |
|
16) 1988 Mexico at Mexico City |
17) 1988 UK at Silverstone |
18) 1988 Belgium at Spa |
19) 1988 Portugal at Estoril |
20) 1998 Spain at Jerez |
|
21) 1988 Japan at Suzuka |
22) 1988 Germany at Hockenheim |
23) 1988 Hungary at Hungaroring |
24) 1988 Australia at Adelaide |
24) 1995 France at La Sarthe |
The final chassis, as you might have noticed, is not named after a Formula 1 victory like the others, but rather another F1 victory – that of the McLaren F1 at the 24 Hours of Le Mans.
This weekend, the 81st Goodwood Members Meet will see the first public outing of the T.50s Niki Lauda, where Experimental Prototype 1 (XP1) will wow 15,000 people in the crowds as its Cosworth-developed 3.9-liter V12 redlines at 12,100 rpm. Alongside it on the track, we’ll also witness ‘James,’ the first development mule of the T.33, which sports a revised version of the GMA V12, dubbed GMA.2 V12, with a lower redline and a better torque spread for its more grand touring-suited duties.
T.50s: A Special Celebration Of Niki Lauda’s Legacy
Niki Lauda will be celebrated at Goodwood this weekend, which makes it a fitting occasion for the dynamic debut of the car that bears his name. While the man himself may no longer be with us, there’s a clear relation to Gordon Murray and the races that inspired the first 24 T.50s chassis. The T.50, and its track-only sibling, bear a clear reference to the iconic Brabham BT46B Formula 1 car, which was known as the Fan Car. The fan at the rear of the contemporary supercars is a direct nod to the F1 racer Murray designed.
Where Niki Lauda enters the conversation is that he was the pilot of the Fan Car at the 1978 Swedish Grand Prix when it claimed its first victory in dominant fashion, winning by more than 30 seconds. The uproar from the other teams over its dominance was so great that Bernie Ecclestone, owner of the Brabham team and then president of the Formula One Constructors’ Association, agreed to voluntarily withdraw the car from competition for the good of the sport.
Related
Gordon Murray Automotive Will Be Building T.50 Supercars Right Under Gordon’s Nose
Gordon Murray Automotive has relocated production of the T.50 to GMA HQ, right under Mr. Murray’s nose.
At this weekend’s event, GMA will announce a unique connection between the T.50s and the Brabham BT46B ‘Fan Car’ that Lauda drove in Sweden, suggesting an extra special touch that will find its way onto all 25 cars.
Gordon Murray Automotive Taking Over Goodwood
Alongside the new cars in development, there will be a full roster of cars from the Gordon Murray Heritage collection, usually housed at the brand’s Highams Park HQ, where T.50 production has been moved. The cars displayed will all be vehicles designed by Murray himself, including the 1995 McLaren F1 GTR that won the 24 Hours of Le Mans and inspired the 25th and final T.50s chassis. The cars on display will be:
- 1967 IGM T.1 – The first car designed and built by Murray when he was still in South Africa; this car raced in 1967 and 1968.
- 1972 Duckhams Ford LM – Designed by Murray to tackle Le Mans at the behest of racer Alain de Cadanet, it was developed within six months thanks to the backing of the Duckhams oil company. It never saw the checkered flag, but despite an accident two hours from the end, it finished 5th in class and 12th overall.
- 1974 Brabham BT44 – Murray’s first F1 Grand Prix-winning car, which went on to score a one-two finish and take the fastest lap in the 1974 season’s final race at Watkins Glen.
- 1975 Brabham BT44B – An evolution of the above with defined aerodynamics that took second place in the 1975 Constructors’ Championship with race wins in Brazil and Germany.
- 1994 LCC Rocket – One of the lightest cars the world has ever seen, the LCC was a tandem two-seater road car with an open cockpit and incredible power-to-weight, and Murray’s first road car you’ve probably never heard of.
- 1995 McLaren F1 GTR – The car that won the 24 Hours of Le Mans and cemented the F1’s legendary status even further.
- T.50 PS4, PS1, ‘George’ – Three cars showcasing the development spectrum of the T.50, with George being an Ultima chassis used to test the GMA V12 engine, and PS1 and PS4 being two of the first Production Series models.
- T.50s Niki Lauda XP1 & XP2 – the first two developmental prototypes of the track-only T.50s.
- T.33 mules ‘Henry’ & ‘James’ – The first two mules for the T.33, the next car to come from Gordon Murray automotive.
“The dynamic debuts of the GMA T.33 mule and GMA T.50s XP1 mark an important milestone in the development of both supercars,” says Gordon Murray.
“I’m also proud that we will participate in honoring a man who was a one-of-a-kind racer and a great friend by showcasing the T.50s Niki Lauda at Goodwood. Additionally, revealing the 25 historically significant motor racing names for our track-only T.50s is the perfect way to celebrate a favorite event for me and the whole GMA team.”